Monday blues

Went for my first outdoor run yesterday since getting and recovering from shin splints. I was so excited to be headed out for a run again AND to be wearing my brand new Brooks Ghosts for the first time. I was SURE it was gonna be an awesome run. How could it not be with all the cross training I've done over the last three weeks on top of giving my legs a break from running itself?

But it was not to be.

I started off strong and at a fairly good clip but it wasn't long before I realized the sun and the heat were going to do me in. Granted it was "only" 81 outside at that point but that sun beating down on me felt like a giant heat lamp above my head.

I immediately started sweating and feeling like my body just couldn't cool itself fast enough. I wear a heart rate monitor when I run and it showed that my heart rate was way above where it normally would/should be (and it stayed high for an hour or so after my run). Obviously my heart was having to work quite a bit harder to keep my muscles moving AND to try to keep my core cooled. Here is a detailed explanation of what my body was dealing with that I found on marathonguide.com:

"Overheating is the result of inadequate cooling; when the body cannot keep up with the demands of evaporation of water from your skin. When the body heats up internally, it starts to sweat and sends more blood to the skin where it is cooled by coming into contact with the relatively cooler skin. However, while running, your body's demand for oxygen to the muscles means less blood will flow to the skin and this is when overheating occurs. And thus begins the tug-of-war within your body. Either the blood (and oxygen) goes to your muscles to keep up with the pace demands and you start to overheat because less blood is going to the skin for cooling - OR - the blood goes to the skin for cooling, but less blood goes to your working muscles meaning you'll be forced slow down. "

Boy was I forced to slow down. I probably ended up walking half of the 4.2 miles. I was SO disappointed! But today I have a whole new outlook. #1, I learned a valuable lesson, and #2, by reading further about overheating I learned that you can actually acclimatize yourself to the warmer weather after running in it consistently for about two weeks. Carefully, of course.  Don't push too hard, drink lots of fluids, wear a hat and sunblock, and monitor your heart rate so you know how hard you're actually working. Don't be afraid (or ashamed) to slow down or walk.

It's all about listening to your body and knowing when to back off, change plans, or go to the gym instead.